The Future is Playful

As parents, we often hear about the "future of work" and how different our children's careers will be. That's why recent headlines, like The Guardian's piece on headteacher Tina Farr's passion for bringing play back to the classroom, really hit home. At Merton Park Primary, we've seen firsthand how important it is to nurture curiosity and creativity.

We're just like you – parents who want the best for our kids. With our backgrounds in physics and years building real-world digital products, we know this future isn't just about learning facts; it's about being able to adapt, think critically, and most importantly, be truly creative.

The Irrefutable Case for Play

You might think play is just for fun, but it's how children are wired to learn. It's a super powerful way for them to explore, discover, and make sense of their world. Study after study backs this up (references below). Play promotes:

• Brain Power: When kids play, they're naturally problem-solving, thinking critically, and making decisions. They get to try things out, even mess up a little, all in a safe, no-pressure zone.

• Imagination: Play sparks big ideas and collaborative play builds on those ideas.

• Social Skills: Playing together teaches kids how to talk, share, compromise, and understand each other – skills absolutely essential for working with others later in life.

As the National Literacy Trust wisely puts it, children learn best when they're in charge of their play. It builds confidence and that wonderful feeling of "I can do this!"

Digital Creativity: Playing Our Way into Tomorrow

So what does this have to do with Creators Academy? Well, our vision a year ago was to create a space where young children could play with high-tech tools to create all manner of digital and physical output: Virtual Reality animations, computer games, robotic Lego arms, art, poetry and music created with AI prompts. Challenges that would have even the most tech-hardened grown-up shaking in their boots...

The thing is, we did initially think that this 'play' needed to be structured. We found out that we were wrong (well, sort of). Over the last year, we've truly embraced the unpredictable nature and value of play. While we come prepared with structured content for each lesson (and will always have that available), we've learned that sometimes the children have other plans! We've had moments where we literally throw away the rulebook because a class is approaching a challenge in a completely unexpected but brilliant way, and we go with it. We've been put on the spot endlessly with requests we have no idea how to answer, only to find another child in the group steps up with the perfect solution. And yes, some children need a brain break – a quick game of Geometry Dash, no judgement here! – before returning to their exploration with fresh eyes and renewed focus. This organic, child-led exploration is where the true learning happens. We found that the more the children explore independently, the deeper the connection with their creative process - which becomes a virtuous circle.

Just like Tina Farr empowers her students through curiosity, we hope our club empowers young digital natives. We believe that by making learning joyful and self-directed, we're helping them become the adaptable, imaginative thinkers who will shape tomorrow's world.

Further Reading

• Nord Anglia Education: "The Benefits of Play-Based Learning". While this is a school blog, it synthesises widely accepted research points on cognitive benefits of play.

• Psychology Today (UK): "The Power of Play". Discusses how play fosters imagination, creativity, and problem-solving.

• London Early Years Foundation: "The benefits of play-based learning in nursery" (PDF). Provides a comprehensive overview of social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of play.

• LEGO Foundation: "Learning through Digital Play: A Summary" (PDF). Mentions holistic skills such as collaboration, problem-solving and creativity – as well as subject knowledge and technological literacy.

• iCEV: "What Are 21st Century Skills?". Defines and lists the 4 Cs: Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication

• American Academy of Pediatrics: "The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children". While this is an abstract from a medical journal, it highlights play's role in social-emotional, cognitive, language skills, and executive function which are critical for 21st-century success.

• Wikipedia: "21st century skills". A general overview that aligns with the 4 Cs and broader skills).

• Piaget's "Play, Dreams, and Imitation in Childhood": Can be found via university libraries or Google Books previews.

• Vygotsky's "Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes": Often found through academic archives.

• ResearchGate (reprinting from Early Childhood Research & Practice): "The Role of Pretend Play in Children's Cognitive Development". This is a common citation for the cognitive benefits of pretend play.

• Project Zero Website: "Pedagogy of Play". Highlights their research and principles.